Whitby teen dies after mistaking methanol for vodka

A Whitby teenager is dead after the vodka she thought she was drinking turned out to be methanol.

Dana Watson, 18, is being mourned by family, friends and fellow students after she died tragically last Wednesday.

By:Laura_KaneStaff Reporter.,Sahar FatimaStaff Reporter, Published on Mon May 27 2013

Friends and family are mourning a “loving, warm-hearted” Whitby teenager who died after mistakenly drinking methanol at a house party.

The 18-year-old girl was at a Whitby residence on May 17 when a friend offered her vodka he brought from a relative’s home, not knowing the blue liquid inside was actually methanol.

The next day, both she and a 17-year-old boy fell ill and were rushed to hospital. The girl slipped into a coma and was pronounced dead Wednesday.

Police did not release her name, but grieving friends identified her to the Star as Dana Watson, a Grade 12 student of Donald A. Wilson Secondary School in Whitby.

A devoted volunteer, Dana was closely involved in Scouts Canada and its program MedVents, which teaches youth how to administer first aid.

“She was quite positively one of the brightest youth that we had,” said former youth commissioner David Millie. “She was always eager to help out.”

In February this year, she received the Bronze Cross for gallantry from Scouts Canada for rushing to help victims of a lightning strike at the Whitby Ribfest.

Jessica Reed, 21, said she met Dana at MedVents five years ago and they were “like sisters.”

“I’m in shock,” she said. “I know she’s not that type of person to accept alcohol from anybody.”

Dana joined MedVents because she hoped to become a veterinary technician or work in health care, said Reed. Recently, she had been accepted to the personal support worker program at Durham College.

“She was just that kind of person who liked to help people,” she said. “She put others before herself. If you ever needed anything, she was always there.”

The 17-year-old boy who was also hospitalized underwent dialysis treatment and recovered. A third boy also drank some of the methanol but didn’t become sick because he consumed less of it than the others, police said.

No charges have been laid in the incident, which has been classified as a sudden death and investigated thoroughly for potential criminal behaviour.

Durham police spokesman Dave Selby said the tragedy highlights the importance of informing teens about the dangers of drinking.

“As prom season is upon us, we want to remind all teenagers about the dangers of consuming alcohol, especially alcohol from an unknown source or a tampered bottle,” he said in a news release.

The teenager’s family declined to speak to the Star. Selby said they had requested privacy during this difficult time.

The school posted on its website that a student had passed away Wednesday and that counseling was being offered for students and staff.

Katie Telep, 17, also met Dana in MedVents. She recalled how Dana offered to share her tent the first time they met at an overnight retreat.

“She was a very giving person and a very trustworthy person,” she said, adding that Dana was well-liked in the group for being talkative and funny.

“I am in complete shock. It doesn’t feel real yet. We’re all kind of supporting each other through this.”

Friends and classmates have been expressing their grief on social media since Wednesday. Methanol can cause blindness, coma and death when ingested in large amounts. Police are reminding people to keep items that contain methanol — like paint, antifreeze and windshield wiper fluid – in their original bottles.

With files from Andrew Livingstone and Torstar News Service

Correction - May 28, 2013:
This article was edited from a previous version that mistakenly said Dana Watson received the Bronze Cross last year. As well, David Millie was a former youth commissioner.

More on thestar.com

We value respectful and thoughtful discussion. Readers are encouraged to flag comments that fail to meet the standards outlined in our
Community Code of Conduct.
For further information, including our legal guidelines, please see our full website
Terms and Conditions.